Woman robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight while walking dog in Lincoln Park
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An armed robbery was over in a matter of seconds, but the mental scars could last a lifetime.
Chicago Police Wednesday evening were looking for a man who robbed a woman at gunpoint in broad daylight in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. CBS 2's Marybel González spoke with neighbors about the terrifying ordeal.
This was not the first violent incident residents of the area have witnessed this year. Just feet away from where the Diana DeJacimo was robbed while walking her dog in the 1300 block of West Webster Avenue Wednesday morning, someone else was nearly killed during a separate armed robbery back in May.
Residents say they've had enough.
DeJacimo was visiting her son-in-law, Mike Walker. At 11:20 a.m., the 70-year-old woman's stroll with her dog came quickly to a halt when an armed robber stormed up.
"We've lost, sort of, faith in the safety of the neighborhood," Walker said.
Video shows a blue Honda CR-V pull up in front of DeJacimo. An armed robber jumps out and points a gun right of her face, and also at her dog – right before snatching her purse and taking off.
"She's in good spirits, but she's stunned," Walker said.
The incident was captured on Lincoln Park resident David Hussar's surveillance video.
"I mean, it's no shock at all," Hussar said.
Hussar shared the video with the hope that the suspects will be identified.
"I worry about my wife. I worry about my kids," he said. "It's absurd."
That is because this was not the first time his cameras have caught a crime in action.
Early on the morning of Friday, May, 6 - just feet away from the latest incident near Wayne and Webster avenues – 23-year-old Dakotah Earley was shot multiple times at close range during an armed robbery. Earley was a culinary arts student from Atlanta.
Earley has had several surgeries and spent days in a coma and on life support. Earley also lost part of his leg and part of his colon as a result of the shooting. Tyshon Brownlee, 19 – who is also a suspect in several other armed robberies – is charged with attempted murder and armed robbery in the Earley case.
But concern about crime in the area persists – with Hussar's camera now having caught another armed robbery Wednesday.
"You know, it's like a live crime feed. It's ridiculous," Hussar said, "and this is Lincoln Park. This is a nice neighborhood. It used to be a nice neighborhood - but it's not safe."
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said he is working with police to find those responsible.
"It's just an inhumane, horrific act," Hopkins said. "So for this to happen again, it's undeniable. This neighborhood is being targeted by these armed criminals. They're coming here with intent. They're coming here with purpose, and they're prreying on innocent victims."
Ald. Hopkins told us the suspects also stole DeJacimo's car keys – and the robbers were able to find her parked car and fled with that as well.
Police as of Wednesday night had not announced any arrests in the case.
